The Weeks Law 
During a conversation in 
1892 or 1893, State Geologist 
Joseph A. Holmes of North 
Carolina suggested to Gifford 
Pinchot, then employed on 
the Biltmore property near 
Asheville, that the Federal 
Government should purchase 
a big tract of forest land in 
the southern Appalachians 
on which to practice forestry 
(Pinchot 1947). Holmes was 
concerned about watershed 
protection as well as timber 
production. 
There was considerable 
interest in this idea, and on 
November 22, 1899, the 
Appalachian National Park 
Association was formed in 
Asheville to work for a national 
forest preserve in the 
southern Appalachians. Early 
in 1901, the association 
urged the Legislatures of the 
Carolinas, Tennessee, 
Georgia, Alabama, and 
Virginia to enact laws 
permitting the Federal 
purchase of lands in their 
States and providing for tax 
exemption. North Carolina 
responded with such a law 
in 1901. The association’s 
efforts triggered similar 
activity in New England 
(Widner 1968). 
There was considerable 
interest throughout the East 
in establishing forest reserves 
and in protecting the flow of 
rivers. The 1908 conferences 
further stimulated the public 
and the States to support 
the idea. 
On March 1, 1911, the Weeks 
law was passed (36 Stat. 
961). While it is generally 
thought of in terms of its 
authority to acquire land for 
national forests to protect 
the headwaters of navigable 
streams, it was also important 
legislation authorizing 
cooperation between Federal 
and State Governments. 
Section 1 of the act gave 
consent for the States ". . .to 
enter into any agreement or 
compact, not in conflict with 
any law of the United States, 
with any other State or States 
for the purpose of conserving 
the forests and the water 
supply of the States entering 
into such agreement or 
compact." Section 2 
authorized the Secretary of 
Agriculture to enter into 
agreements with States to 
cooperate in the organization 
and maintenance of a system 
of fire protection on any 
private or State forest lands 
situated on the watershed of 
a navigable river. However, 
the law had three stipulations 
that were controlling: (1) the 
